


Theseus Can't Fly

by butterflyjars



Category: DreamSMP, mcyt
Genre: Dadza, Dream gets his shit rocked, Emotional Manipulation, Evil Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Exiled TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Family, Gen, Ghost Wilbur Soot, Hurt/Comfort, Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Physical Abuse, Protective Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Protectiveness, Tommy has wings, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, dream rips these wings, phil and techno have a chat with dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28444470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyjars/pseuds/butterflyjars
Summary: ==========Tommy had wings since he was little. Growing up with Philza and his brothers, making L'manburg a country, building it back up after it was torn down— he'd had his wings. It's no different in exile.It was the only thing keeping him happy during exile, and when Dream finds his secret stash under Logstedshire, he doesn't expect Dream to rip them off. When he does, though, there's no way Tommy could have prepared.=========(written on a phone)
Relationships: Family Relationship(s) - Relationship, No Romantic Relationship(s), Platonic Relationship(s), Sleepy Bois Inc - Relationship
Comments: 137
Kudos: 1383





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Just wanted to say this is my first fanfiction posted on here. I'm always open to criticism and I hope you have fun reading!!
> 
> ALSO- This AU is inspired by @kvaughanarts on TikTok!
> 
> TW - drowning attempt, heavy descriptions of violence, manipulation

_ Alone. _

He'd always be alone— it was a given at this point. He only had Dream and even then it wasn't enough.

Tommy let his eyes glance down at the clouds below him. It had been a peaceful day. Drista visited. They had fun. 

Tommy had fun. 

Now, though, he stood at the edge of a cliff. It wasn't far from Logsted, but far enough to where he couldn't see the beach. The party that no one had come to.

The hell that no one dared to visit.

The boy looked down, and sniffed the air. It was colder the higher he went. Colder. Colder. 

Tommy shivered. He took a breath and smiled lightly. He readied himself and leaped.

As he fell, he felt feathers wrap themselves around his face, and the boy fell slowly, his back facing the ground, and let the wings protect him.

They lifted, and Tommy felt free. He flew. 

Theseus was flying.

The feathers were so warm. Dream was not. Dream was cold, he was unpredictable and intimidating. He was scary. 

He was Tommy's friend. He didn't feel like a friend at the moment. He was quiet. He was quiet but so loud. His quietness was so loud.

Tommy grabbed as many maps as he could— Tubbo. He needed to get those maps of Tubbo. He retreated once the TNT went off. Clawing at dirt to climb out of the hole and be safe, he covered his ears as it blew up. 

The noise was so loud. Thoughts of the first war flooded his head. How someone shot him—ten paces, fire. A room, a betrayal. More TNT went off and the festival went off in his head, blossoming into more memories. He could see Tubbo, clear as day in his head, leaning in that box, limp. Revoke citizenship. He remembered a ravine.

More TNT. He clamped his ears shut and cowered in the corner, facing away from all the noise, desperation clawing at his insides to get away, to be safe , and he cried out. He watched in his head as L'manburg was destroyed—pummeled by withers and a simple button. 

The loud noise slowly faded.

Dream lowered his crossbow and let his eyes stare Tommy down. Feathers covered him, covered the maps he protected. Dream watched as Tommy pulled himself out of the hole, gasping out apologies as much as he can, sputtering and climbing to ground level.

Those wings.

He held the maps close to him and soon stashed them away—somewhere safe. It wasn't all safe, just his backpack, but it felt safer than clutching them with hopeless hands.

Dream made bruises before. He always had since the first disc war. But this time, Tommy knew these bruises would be permanent. His breathing hitched and quickened and slowed and repeated, no rhythm in him, as he watched the dotted eyes and smile on that mask come closer to him. 

"Tommy." 

There's silence from both of them and Dream is right in front of Tommy, a hand on his shoulder.

"Tommy, I won't ask for your things. I've done what I wanted to this place," Dream told, and glanced at Tommy's back.

"But not yet to you." 

Before Tommy could understand, he was being pulled and dragged harshly to the beach. He was slammed to the ground, his head hitting water and sand being sent into his eyes. 

He gasped for air and was pushed down farther into the water, desperately trying to keep his breath steady as his head was forced underwater.

Dream pulled him up and Tommy was coughing up a fit, tears on his face as he pleads with Dream to let him go, to stop. 

Dream wasn't done yet.

He grabbed Tommy's neck, leaving bruises, and forced him to turn around, and placed his hands on Tommy's wings, around the middle where most feathers were.

"They're so white, Tommy. And soft. I've seen you fly around here with them." Dream said lightly. 

The boy felt hands grip those wings and cried out. 

"Too bad you won't be having them anymore."

There's a yank, and a pull, and a boy screaming. 

It was like his nerves were being shot, or stabbed, or burned in lava. It was like breaking a nail. He couldn't move away, he couldn't stumble or crawl. It was slow. It was so unbearably slow.

Dream used his time to his advantage. He had nowhere to go for a while and could use all the time he wanted to teach Tommy a lesson. He slowly tore the wings, picking at the feathers with one hand while he pulled at the middle with no resist or mercy. 

He let Tommy suffer for hours.

Hours of screaming, screaming, so much screaming, which turned into hoarse yells, and soon hopeless cries. There was no use in asking Dream to stop. He wouldn't stop until Tommy begged for death.

And that's what he did. He begged for hours, through his screams and crying, he asked to die. He begged for it. There was only slow and educated chaos. 

Dream scoffed and stopped ripping. Tommy only had just a little bit of what he previously had, just small, bloodied feathers protruding from his back while the pure white wings were now dark and red, resting in Dream's hands.

"We're still friends, Tommy. You did something that hurt me, and you needed to be taught not to do that. Tubbo would've let you off without punishment, Tommy. I could have just killed you."

He walked around Tommy's who was now on the ground, stifled crying buried into the ground. Dream kneeled down to meet Tommy's face as he forced him to look at the masked man. 

"I'll come back in a week or two. I hope you learn from this. Don't fucking disobey me again." With that, the man harshly dropped the boy's face into the ground, and broke the nether portal as he boated away silently. 

His wings were the only thing keeping him sane. He'd fly at the end of every day, at sunset, to feel that freeing feeling once before he went to sleep. 

Tommy watched through the sand as the only one who was there for him leave. He forced his arm to reach for the boat, but it was already at the horizon.

Now, as the sun set, Tommy laid there, tears brimming at his eyes and sand sticking to his clothes.

"Please... Don't leave me here..." A broken voice pleaded. "My wings..." 

He let his arm fall as he lost consciousness, his back throbbing in pain.

He'd never fly again. 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno comes home from a failed execution, and Ghostbur thinks they should pay a visit to their younger brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Wanted to pop in again and say thank you for reading the previous chapter, and I hope you have fun reading this one!!
> 
> TW- mentions of blood

The door slammed shut. 

Techno let his body fall into a chair not far from the door and let out the most exhausted sigh ever. 

"Techno! You're back." Wilbur's ghost smiled happily, floating in between the ceiling and floor. Technoblade nodded.

"I let Friend stay at L'manburg, I hope that's okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, no, it's fine." Techno breathed out, finally standing up and taking his coat off. He wasn't going to to back there anytime soon, he didn't care where Friend was. 

He headed to the small makeshift kitchen he built, and took an apple out. 

It was small, but big enough to fuel Technoblade. His adrenaline from the fight he'd just had was fading and he'd be tired soon.

He'd just come back from a failed execution attempt— Quackity, Fundy, Tubbo, and a new guy—looked like an enderman of some sort— had hunted him down and used Carl as leverage to get him to L'manburg. They forced him to drop his things and when he got there they had put Philza on house arrest. Fucking house arrest. 

Who puts a guy like Phil on _house arrest_?

"How was your time in L'manburg? I got a letter saying I couldn't go in the sewers anymore, did you visit there?" 

Techno paused, pursing his lips slightly. He set down a bloodied pickaxe. "Yeah, I did. There wasn't anythin' good in there. Big enough for Carl and I to escape but that's it." He shrugged before taking a bite of the apple.

He had been able to escape the execution, as he isn't dead. Dream and Punz helped him; Punz distracted them while he got away and Dream supplied him with makeshift tools and a lead to get out of there. 

Techno lets his mind wander just a bit. Back to the sewers. He'd escaped using a room Dream showed him, and in that room he had fought Quackity. He had killed him. 

Techno had taken a guy's life— not that there's anything new to it, but it irked him. Techno said he wanted peace, he was retired; they still went after him and tried to kill him. 

There's silence while Techno thinks.

He glanced at the pickaxe laying on the table. He should clean it.

"I wonder how Tommy's doing. I haven't seen him since I got lost in the woods, and that's been a pretty long time." Ghostbur said thoughtfully. There's a huff that comes as a response while the man grabs a wet cloth and the things needed to properly clean something.

Ghostbur lets his feet hit the floor. "We should visit! Let's visit, Technoblade!" He smiled. 

The half piglin grunts, wiping the juice from the apple off of his face.

"No way in hell am I visiting. I was there to be amused that first time. I'm not going back." He finishes the apple as he does with the response and meets Ghostbur's eyes.

"No."

Ghostbur pouts. 

"Wilbur, I said _no_." 

"Please? I'm sure he'd love to see you! You're great to have around!"

Techno huffs and faces away from the ghost, looking through a window before turning back to the pickaxe, now cleaned. "I'm not sure he'd like me there."

He feels a cold mist rest on his arm, and he knows it's Ghostbur's hand.

"We don't have to stay for long, just a few minutes?"

Techno doesn't speak or move for a few ten seconds. Then he groans.

"Tomorrow." As soon as he says it Ghostbur lights up. 

"That's alright with me!" He let go of Techno's arm gleefully, floating around the room like an excited dog.

"He'll be so happy to see us! Goodnight, Technoblade!" He smiles again before disappearing. Techno doesn't know where he goes when he disappears. 

He never knows where Ghostbur goes.

He sighs and leans forward to take a closer look out of the window. The moon was out, and it was shaped as a crescent. 

"Goodnight, Phil." Techno sighs. "I'll get you out of there one day, soon."

With that, He climbs the ladder to his bed and lays in bed, the hours passing before his eyes were able to close and he was able to relax.

He did not want to go see his younger brother.

====================  
  


The next day it takes a few hours to reach Logstedshire. 

Or what's left of it.

During the trip, Ghostbur talked about Tommy and how he missed him.

"We were making a beach party the last time I saw him! It was really fun to do, but Tommy kept seeing Tubbo. I saw him too!" Ghostbur continued, either oblivious or ignorant to how annoyed Technoblade was.

"No one else saw Tubbo though, and we continued with our day. I was allowed to hand out the invites!" The ghost smiled gleefully as the two reached grass— no more snow for a while. Ghostbur continued to talk, and Techno continued to zone him out.

When they reached the place, it was burned and blown up. There's confusion and Ghostbur seemed uneasy. Techno was too, and for good reason. Nothing was left, not even the tent.

"Where's Tommy?" The ghost boy asked himself, and began calling Tommy's name, looking around.

Techno scoped the place out, and glanced at the beach.

A hump on the sand. He called out to Ghostbur and motioned him to follow as he cautiously walked forward. 

As he walked, he saw small feathers on the ground. He forgot Tommy had wings. He barely ever had them out and when he did it was either to fly or protect himself.

With the state that Logsted was in, Techno chose the latter and his eyes narrowed slightly. Concern seeped into his skin as he walked closer.

There was blood. Of course there'd be blood, but what Techno saw was explicit and gruesome. It's something he himself would never do.

Whoever did it was a monster.

The blond was on his stomach, one hand reached out to the ocean, another stiffly holding a map. His back was bloody and the spots that the shirt was ripped, showing skin, was extremely sunburnt. Techno wondered how long he'd been lying here.

He bent down and pried the map out of the boy's hand and looked at it, wiping sand off of it. He couldn't do anything about the blood. 

It was a photo of a happy Tommy and Tubbo, smiling. Techno glanced at the kid laying on the ground and back at the kid in the photo. It's a complete difference.

He forced himself to look at the wound that made the voices silent. For the first time in months, years maybe, they were completely silent. 

They never go silent, and Techno knew it was wrong.

Techno kneeled down to inspect the boy's back as Ghostbur headed over and gasped at the sight. Techno ran his thumb gingerly over the feathers, dried with blood and sand, and shook his head.

Why hadn't he come by sooner? 

The man huffs and pulls the boy up, letting him curl into his chest. 

"Let's go, Wilbur." Techno glares at the ocean. 

They walk home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two Summary -  
> Technoblade thinks back about how the execution went, and Ghostbur convinces him to pay a visit to Logstedshire, where they find Tommy unconscious.
> 
> Chapter Three Notes -  
> Tommy wakes up in Technoblade's house, and Techno goes on a little trip to L'manburg.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy wakes up in bandages, and Technoblade makes a trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaa this is a bit of a short one, sorry!!
> 
> i hope you have fun reading:)

He could've left him there. There wouldn't be a burden on him, in that house. Tommy hated him. He really should have left him there.

But his mind would be pushed to the brink by thinking that he left him to die, alone. That whoever did this would walk away free. Technoblade couldn't deal with that. 

He had a sneaking suspicion of who did it, but with barely any evidence he couldn't immediately put the blame on them.

So it was the next day. As he took his coat off inside of the house, Techno glances at a waking Tommy. Ghostbur is floating a bit away from him, holding bandages. He was able to clean the wound before an infection was able to weave itself in.

They had made a makeshift bed near the kitchen once they had gotten home, for Tommy.

Technoblade leans on the door. "Good morning." 

He thought he knew what was going to ensue. And he did, for the most part. 

Tommy jolted himself up, his eyes wide and breathing hard. He opened his mouth to start yelling, but nothing came out except a pathetic croak. He must have lost his voice. 

No doubt the process of losing his wings was painful— there had to have been hours of screaming. 

Techno didn't have wings. He didn't know what it was like to fly like his father. He didn't know how painful it could be to tear them, but his brother looked pained and that was enough for him.

Techno almost felt empathetic for him. He played it off as pity while he washed his hands and handed Tommy some bread and water. 

"Eat before you talk." He said blankly before sitting down a bit away from Tommy, who seemed bewildered and was shaking. 

He winced a little, having bandages wrapped around his waist. Technoblade watched as Tommy felt his back, closed his eyes and focused, trying desperately to get his wings out like they were hidden like normal. They weren't.

Techno had to look away as Tommy realized. There was no scream, but somehow that hurt Techno more. 

They'd had to clean the remaining feathers and wrap him in a bandage. They'd given him painkillers or something like that to lessen the pain when he was half awake and drowsy, but it most likely wasn't enough.

He hardened his expression and met Tommy's eyes.

"Who did this to you?"

He could tell there was a pause in the boy's brain, trying to remember. He opened his mouth again to speak, only letting a few croaks out before giving up and motioned for a pen and paper. 

All he wrote was a smiley face, and Techno knew. His body tensed and he looked at Ghostbur before grabbing his coat once more. 

"I'll be right back."

=============

"Phil, I need you and I need you _now_." 

Techno had snuck into L'manburg invisible and had just gotten to Philza's house. 

"Techno I can't just leave-" Phil protested. He's never seen Techno so serious, so angry. Even when he was a teenager and gave his family death glares everyday, there was still some smiles he gave. There was no smile at all.

"Dream ripped Tommy's wings, Phil." 

He said it so calmly, so soothingly, and yet the man could feel the air grow intense with hate. Anger. And he was feeling it too. 

"He what?"

Phil let his hand fall to the hilt of his sword. His eyes narrowed. 

"He  _ ripped _ his  _ wings _ ." With each word, Techno seemed tenser, his teeth gritted as he spoke, less willing to talk about it. Before Techno could, though, Phil had his sword in his hand and was pulling the boots off of his feet. 

He gets them off and he flings the door open, and Techno watched as he walked away from the house without shutting the door. 

When Techno met Phil outside, he was met with rage. Hate was brimming in his eyes and he wanted murder. 

They stood just outside the house, where Techno had been almost executed just two days ago. There was a sick feeling of being there, uneasiness.

"I want you to see him first, Phil. Just so you can understand how badly I want to beat that stupid mask into the ground." Techno voices, his voice tense. He's never been this protective. 

Phil nods, and they leave L'manburg. Phil didn't care if they found he left, he had business to do. He'll tell them why once he gets to rip Dream's neck off himself. He was sure they'd want to as well after hearing what he did, but they didn't deserve to feel that satisfaction.

Philza wanted to rip his throat like he ripped his son's wings.

During their travel, which isn't very long, Techno tells Phil how he found Tommy—everything blown up, nothing left, the boy almost dead.

Phil was mad now. He wanted blood as he kept his pace, gripping his sword handle. "When I get to see that green bastard I will make sure with every  ounce  of my body that he  dies ." He glares at the places in front of him as he walks.

He sees the house come into view. Technoblade's house. 

"He's in there, right?" Phil said softly, pausing his steps before continuing.

"Yeah." Techno says. He didn't really know what to think of the situation— a few days ago he had been hanging out with Phil, having fun— and whatever happened, well, it happened.

Phil narrowed his eyes.

"I'm going to see my son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three Summary-   
> Tommy wakes up and can't speak, having lost his voice from screaming, and writes a smiley face on paper to show who did this to him. Technoblade goes to L'manburg to get Phil.
> 
> Chapter Four Notes-  
> Phil sees his son, who tells the family what happened. Tommy thinks back on what happened at Logstedshire.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil sees his son in bad shape, and Ghostbur tries to comfort Tommy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy new year guys!!! 2020's been rough
> 
> TW - panic attack, mildly graphic description of violence, mentions of starving

When they got to Techno's base, Phil ran inside to find Tommy quietly sipping water. Techno glanced at the bed— he must have noticed how he'd moved from the bed to a table nearby. 

It wasn't a gasp, more of a choked up cry of guilt as the man saw his adopted son bruised. Ghostbur had tried his best to clean the injuries that he could, but bruises around Tommy's neck, cheeks, arms, everywhere—it was still so obvious against the boy's starving body. 

The man glanced at Tommy's waist, seeing the bandages. His wings had been taken away. His wings had been fucking _taken away_ from him like he didn't deserve it.

Phil looked so heartbroken. Tommy couldn't look him in the eyes. 

He felt more guilty than he should've— Phil was hurt because Tommy was, and it's Tommy's fault that he's hurt. He disobeyed Dream.

He could feel eyes looking at the bruises.

"I deserved it, you know." He said softly, and the room stayed quiet. His voice was back, although raspy as if he hadn't had water for days. 

He probably hadn't. He forced himself to take another sip, scared he'd run out.

"I- I hid some stuff from him, I fuckin- I know I shouldn't have, and I got what was deserved." He stared at his water, watched it swirl.

It reminded him of the ocean that once buried his head. 

"Tommy no— you didn't do anything wrong." Phil softened his eyes, any ounce of violence he had gone the minute he walked into the house. He stepped closer to the boy, but paused when he saw the way he flinched. How his hand went up to shield himself ever so slightly before it was set down on the table again.

"You didn't do anything wrong, okay?" Phil's voice softened just a little bit. Tommy didn't answer. 

"I guess." He sounded unconvinced, but there would be no use trying to make him realize it. 

"He hurt you, Tommy. He-" Phil stopped himself from mentioning the wings. "He did something unforgivable and he's not getting away with it."

Everyone knew he was talking about the wings. 

Tommy sighed. "It hurt a lot. It still does, just not as much." 

Techno's ears perked a little, and he crossed his arms, listening, as Phil sat down. 

"He tried to drown me, a little." He went on, fidgeting at the collar of his shirt, where Dream held him as he attempted to drown him.

"He blew everything up, everything— where's my bag?" He looked around, and Ghostbur held it out for him. Tommy grabbed it and pulled out a map of him and Tubbo. A picture.

"These were the only things I could grab— I could get." Tommy shook his head as he wiped his cheek on his shoulder. "I fuckin' miss him."

Phil nodded and stood up. "What else did Dream do?"

There's silence, and Tommy poured everything out.

Dream had starved him for days before giving him food, like it was some rhythmic thing. He'd put his armor, tools, everything into a hole. Occasionally Tommy would stop and shake his head before muttering something about a friend before continuing.

"He'd, he'd tell me we were friends and then he'd hurt me. But he was the only- the only one to come to my party." He looked at Phil. There was slight anger, but more hurt than anything. "I thought you'd come. Why didn't you come?"

Phil told him he didn't get an invitation, and Ghostbur told him how Dream said he'd handle the invitations.

With that, Techno had enough of hearing it. He grabbed Phil's arm and nodded.

"Tommy, please, stay here." Techno says with a hint of softness before shutting the door and locking it. 

Dream was going to get hurt, bad.

Tommy was convinced they'd pull a massacre on one person. He was scared, though, for them. Dream was scary. Dream was beyond terrifying.

Tommy would know.

But Dream was his friend, he gave him food and was the only one at his party. Dream gave him his trident to play with. Dream was his friend.

Was.

Was he ever his friend? He starved him and he was probably the reason no one came. He destroyed his armor and blew up Logstedshire.

He took his wings.

Tommy shook his head. Ghostbur was sleeping in the air, around the ladder. He sighed.

Wilbur was older than Tommy, two minutes younger than Techno. They were all adopted. 

Tommy was in no way directly related to Phil, but for some reason they both had wings. Techno was half piglin and Wilbur had traces of piglin elements- longer ears, a pinker tone to his skin, a big head— not the last part as much, Tommy just liked to say he had a big head.

He slumped in the chair, wincing from putting pressure on his back. He couldn't fly. He wouldn't be able to fly ever again. 

It started to set in. His breathing picked up. He wouldn't fly again. Flying was so freeing. He would never fly again. His wings were gone. 

He began to feel dizzy, and clamped his hand onto the table just for a bit of support. 

Dream ripped his wings. The soft feathers he'd curl into after a bad dream were gone. The white mass he'd use to lift into the air and fly were gone. The only thing that kept him happy in exile was gone.

His head forced in the memory of Dream grabbing those wings and tearing. It was horrible. He heard the things Dream had been saying to him during those hours, telling him to be quiet, to face the pain, this is what he deserved. 

He felt, during one of those unbearable hours, a warm hand taking his neck and pressing on the already forming bruises. Tommy shook from the memory.

He needed to breathe. It'd quickened so fast, his head had gone blurry and he could barely see or hear over his thoughts. He scooted his chair back, about to get up, when a cold mist fell on his head. 

Looking up, Tommy met eyes with the ghost watching over him.

Did they really make a ghost watch over him? 

"Tommy, it's gonna be okay." Ghostbur says with a soothing tone. "You're safe." 

The words melted Tommy enough to calm him down. He relaxed himself. "I'm safe." 

He felt a burning on his arms and looked down. He didn't realize he'd been scratching harshly at his arms.

Ghostbur floated down to meet Tommy's eyes at the same level. "Have you eaten?" He lifted himself up again and floated to the kitchen, grabbing an apple. "We have fruits, potatoes-"

"I'll- I'll take an apple." Tommy nods, and Ghostbur throws it over, to which the boy catches.

"They'll make sure he doesn't hurt you again, Tommy." Ghostbur smiled. Tommy knew they would, he was just worried for them.

He sighs and leans in his chair, wincing from the bandages. Ghostbur shifted near the counter.

"They'll be alright, alright?" Ghostbur reassures. He must have understood how uneasy Tommy felt.

He nods. "Yeah. They'll be fine."

They'll be fine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Four Summary - Philza and Techno arrive home, and Phil almost breaks down at the sight of Tommy beaten and injured. Once Tommy spills what Dream used to do, Phil and Techno leave immediately.  
>  While they're gone, Tommy thinks over what happened and panics from the thought of his wings being gone and Ghostbur tries to comfort him.
> 
> Chapter Five Notes - Philza Minecraft and Technoblade go back to Logstedshire and L'manburg to track down Dream, who hasn't been seen for a few days by anyone other than a certain brunette boy.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Techno search L'manburg for any trace of Dream, and meet up with a very particular brunette boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || hey guys!! sorry i've been inactive for a few days, been pretty busy, and the story's almost over and i'm thinking of doing a oneshot book next and update it every once in a while.
> 
> im sorry if it's short!! i have a pretty good chapter six;)

Philza walked with determination. 

He was out for blood, and when he's out for blood nothing can stop him. Even Techno had to speed up to catch Phil's pace. They were both angry, but Phil was a whole different level than Technoblade.

They stopped at what used to be Logstedshire. Techno felt uneasy as he'd already been there.He held onto Phil's forearm gently, warning him to not take it too far yet. 

Yet.

There were less feathers strewn about— Technoblade found this concerning. He hadn't come to pick them up, someone else must have. 

Philza clenched his hand into a fist. "This— Dream is a disgrace. A fucking disgrace."

No one was around, and there was no sign of anyone around. They decided to leave and started their way to L'manburg.

Phil was exceedingly angry.

He had wings, that was obvious. He had wings since he was little. One time when he was around Tommy's age, he was flying through the trees and his wing got caught on one of the branches, ripping it slightly. It was able to be stitched up, but it was extremely painful with that one rip. 

He couldn't imagine the pain Tommy went under. Hours of suffering, he had said. How Dream dragged him underwater, how he pulled slowly at the feathers for hours.

With each thought, Philza walked faster, got angrier. How dare this son of a bitch hurt a sixteen year old boy. How dare he hurt his son.

Techno grabbed Phil's shoulder and pulled him back, making Phil shake his head and clear his vision. They're overlooking L'manburg while standing on a steep cliff — which Philza almost fell from. 

"Let's ask people if they've seen Dream." Techno said. "I'm sure some must have."

Phil hesitates before nodding. "I'll speak to Quackity and Fundy. I know Quackity has it out for you, and Fundy's my grandson." He turns to meet Techno's eyes. "You ask Ranboo and Tubbo."

Techno glared at the lights in the country. "I am  _ not _ talking to Tubbo."

Phil sighed. "We'll talk to him together, then. You talk to Ranboo."

He nods and takes a swig of invisibility, and just like that he's gone. Phil lifts his wings before taking off.

He tried his best not to think of Tommy when he flew.

He landed right in front of Fundy, who at first was confused on why Phil was out of house arrest. Phil gave him a glare before dragging him into an empty house, shutting the door behind them.

Fundy was obviously not about that. He protested, pushing Phil away. He kept his distance respectfully but stood in front of the door.

"Fundy— have you seen Dream anywhere?"

He watched the fox think. "Not recently, no. He doesn't come around often anymore."

He nods. "Go. Don't tell anyone I was here or I  will  make sure you regret it."

Fundy nods before running off. Phil sighed. He hated scaring his grandson but it was needed. He didn't want to tell them why just yet. After he had Dream in his hands, after he finished with him— maybe then.

He goes through L'manburg, and catches a glimpse of Ranboo talking to a wall. Techno, probably. His eyes harden and he goes to find Quackity.

Quackity. The one who put him on house arrest. The one who dared to fight Technoblade. 

Phil searched until he found the man, leaning on a wall and checking the healing scars on his arms. 

He walked right up to him and grabbed his shirt collar.

"Have you seen Dream?" Phil voiced with spite and anger. He wasn't going to leave until Quackity gave him an answer.

"Why are you out of house arrest?" Confusion and aggression came out of Quackity, but Phil didn't answer.

"Where the  _ fuck  _ is Dream?" 

====

He didn't know. Phil was now walking with Techno to where Quackity said Tubbo was. 

"I'll speak, you do the threatening glare thing you do." Phil said absentmindedly as they got to their destination.

They knocked, and when the door opened, they let themselves in. There was a gasp of protest before it was silenced immediately by Technoblade's glare.

He's doing well, Philza thought to himself. 

He made eye contact with Tubbo— Mr. President. "Where's Dream?"

Tubbo sputtered. "Why are  you  out of house arrest?! Why- Why is  _ he  _ here?!" He says, pointing recklessly towards Technoblade.

His arm is grabbed by said Blade and forced behind his back.

"I'll ask again. Where is that shiteating green bastard?" Phil said, his face and body language calm but his voice full of anger.

"I don't remember exactly _where_ but- I know where his base is-"

"Great, tell us now and we'll be taking our leave."

Tubbo paused. "I don't exactly remember  where  but I can walk you guys-"

Phil hesitated. He sighed. "Fine."

"Anything to sink that wing tearing asshole to the ground."

He saw Tubbo's confusion but didn't bother explaining. "Techno, make sure he's not going to call for help or anything. Duct tape his mouth, or something." He said. 

Tubbo began to protest before those protests were silenced almost immediately. They snuck out.

Unfortunately, they snuck out with the president.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Five Summary - Phil and Techno ask people in L'manburg where Dream is, and when no one knows, they finally head over to Tubbo, who they drag along with them.
> 
> Chapter Six Notes - Philza, Techno, and their GPS boy Tubbo pay a visit to Dream.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Philza and Techno go for a small visit to a green hooded man's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || hi guys!! again, the story is almost over with two or three chapters after this one, and then I might do a oneshot book. this one is a pretty long chapter - i had fun writing it. hope you enjoy!! 
> 
> TW : semi-graphic depictions of violence.

Tubbo wasn't one for long walks. 

He would barely ever visit Dream's home due to it just feeling extremely intimidating to him and it being a long time to get there. It was always quiet and creepy when he visited.

Tubbo didn't really go out much anymore after Tommy had been exiled. He'd been busy with plans, the festival, and dealing with the grief and guilt he had from separating his best friend from the only place he had held dear to him. He glanced over at the two leading him.

The two didn't want to speak during the trip, but Tubbo needed to know what was going on. He'd asked when Techno let go of his mouth, and neither answered him but walked with vicious steps as they followed him.

It was uneasy.

Tubbo wasn't fond of either Phil or Technoblade. He knew Phil was Tommy's dad and Technoblade was Tommy's brother, but it didn't stop the fact that Phil was conspiring with the enemy and the piglin was bent on destroying the very thing Tubbo loved. L'manburg.

He didn't seem too bent on it at the moment, though— something told Tubbo he was angry for another reason.

The president walked in silence until they were almost there. He turned around, desperate to know what they were up to.

Techno kicked at his feet, forcing him to continue. He stumbled a bit before walking again.

"Phil, please tell me-"

It seemed like he had enough of Tubbo's persistence. 

"Dream's been hurting Tommy." 

Tubbo sighed.

"That's nothing new."

Phil stopped in his tracks. There's silence and Tubbo froze as well, hearing the man behind him pause. 

"Nothing new? It's _nothing_ _ new _ ?" He glared at the boy, who immediately felt wrong. He hated being yelled at by Phil.

"He tried to drown my son. That fucking- he took his  _ wings _ ." Phil took a step closer to Tubbo and harshly grabbed his shoulder. "He let him suffer for hours on end, let him scream where no one could fucking hear him, and you say it's  _nothing_ _new_ ?!"

Tubbo was silent, eyes wide.

"What?"

He didn't want to look shocked. He didn't want to look like he'd seen a ghost.

Dream had been telling him Tommy was happy. Everyone believed it too; even Ranboo, although he had always given Dream a look when he brought up how  _ happy  _ Tommy was. 

And Tubbo had had plans of visiting Tommy a few days ago, after the failed execution, but Quackity had needed him for something and by the time they were finished it was almost midnight and Tubbo was so tired.

The information Phil gave him was new; Dream had been hurting Tommy. Dream lied to everyone in L'manburg, saying Tommy was _safe_ and _happy_ and having _fun_. He'd _lied_ and everyone believed it. 

He turned around quietly and continued walking. There was no talking for the rest of the trip. 

They found themselves fall into a jungle as they walked, the vines curling to the floor from where they sat. The three had to maneuver themselves through the twisted roots on the ground or pause when they saw a snake but they continued on. 

He saw a path ahead of them, and stopped. They'd been walking for hours. "This is it."

Phil and Techno walked forward, Tubbo following along slowly, still trying to process what Phil told him. 

He heard a gasp and saw Phil a distance away abruptly stop. He walked over, and almost fainted. He grabbed onto Philza's sleeve for support. 

On each side of the doors were wings pressed onto the wall like banners.

Feathery, white wings. 

_ Tommy's wings . _

===

Dream didn't feel regret for what he did. And he showed that, by putting those wings on the wall. He had no remorse or care for how Tommy felt— how any of them felt. They were all just pawns in his little game.

He hummed to himself as he put things into his chests, organizing his inventory. It'd been a long day of boredom and he even considered visiting Tommy, but he was sticking to his word and visiting next week. 

He never cared about Tommy, or Tubbo, or anyone that he had close to him. It's all a game to him.

Even George and Sapnap. 

They were his friends, had been there for him for years, and Dream couldn't bring himself to say he cares for them and  _mean_ it . He didn't feel bad, though. He can't feel bad about something he can't do.

He wondered how they were doing a lot of the time. George was usually asleep and Sapnap was probably hanging around Quackity or Karl. 

He thought about them a lot during the slow days. He'd pulled himself away after giving them a direct sign that he  didn't care for them . He didn't need them, and was fine on his own.

The only thing stopping him from packing up and leaving this damned place was _L'manburg_. It needed to be destroyed. He also wanted the discs. It didn't really mean anything to him, but he loved the feeling of seeing Tommy and Tubbo get riled up if he had them. 

They were fun to him. Honestly, the two caused so many problems and so much conflict it was funny. It gave Dream something to look forward to.

He had to separate them, though. They were enemies of him and were growing strong together. He needed to separate them and break them. That by itself was fun.

It was usually fun to break people, but the way those two reacted to it gave Dream serotonin. 

He realized it when Wilbur had asked him for TNT, had noticed how conflicted Tommy looked about it. How much he hated that idea. And the look that Tommy had given was golden.

After that point on, Dream always took advantage of when Tommy seemed hurt. He loved seeing him in pain; it sounds sadistic, and maybe it was.

It _definitely_ was.

Dream didn't feel anything when he rowed himself away from Logstedshire that day, Tommy's wings in his inventory. The most he had felt was probably relief. Relief that Tommy would take forever to get back on his feet. Relief that he wouldn't be able to stand up to Dream for a while.

His head was pulled out of his thoughts when his door opened.

===========

Techno felt his heartbeat speeding up. He'd seen the feathers before, he'd seen them in the bathroom when Tommy thought it was a good idea to give himself a bubble bath with his wings out. He'd seen them flattened with blood against Tommy's shirt after he got in a fight that was taken too far. Technoblade had seen them in war, on the battlefield when Tommy didn't give up to fight whoever was against him. He'd seen these feathers in Logstedshire, when he had found Tommy and blamed himself for not coming sooner. 

And now he's seeing them on the very man that took the boy's wings' door.

He had to take a second. His fingers were twitching and he needed to pace somewhere. He needed to calm down before he ran inside and killed Dream on the spot. 

He couldn't kill him immediately, as much as he wanted to see blood pour from the man's body he couldn't. He had to let it sit, for Phil. 

He wondered how Dream slept at night with all the guilt he should have.

Techno branched off immediately from Philza and Tubbo and walked to the edge of the woods. He grasped at a tree harshly, making the branches above shake. He stared at the ground as he seethed, his eyes so focused he had a headache. Dream did that. He put those wings  _ proudly  _ on his house. Techno cursed silently at the ground, hoping Tommy was safe. After a few minutes the man was able to calm himself and he stood up, adjusting his Antarctic cape. 

He walled calmly over to the two, his eyes focused on the door that lingered in his vision. 

"Is- Is that?" Tubbo tried to get the words out, but he was too choked up. Techno payed no attention to him—— all he could hear, see and smell were the voices thirsting for sweet blood.

The minute he saw those damned wings swaying there like a fucking  _ tease  _ the voices demanded blood.

They wanted Dream's death. 

They all called for revenge.

Technoblade immediately walked over to the door and heard quick footsteps following him.

He ran into the base and saw Dream standing near his chests. He looked up with a shocked expression. Techno gripped his sword and watched as Phil ran headfirst into a fight.

"Dream you _motherfucker_ -" Phil yelled as he lunged towards the masked man, grabbing his netherite sword and slicing through the green sleeves. 

Dream immediately had his sword out and dodged Phil's second and third attacks, kicking him in the gut and getting time to get prepared to fight. He had no armor on and probably didn't have enough time to put it on.

The hooded man held his sword in defense as Phil ran towards him again, bringing his weapon down as it sliced through the air, clashing with the enchanted netherite Dream had.

Dream curled his free hand into a fist as he defended himself with his other. Techno saw he was reaching for an enderpearl and immediately pulled out his bow, grabbing an arrow and shooting it into his back. He groaned in pain and Phil stepped to the side as Dream stumbled forwards.

"You deserve to be killed right here and right now for what you did." Techno snarls before kicking him to the ground and letting his foot add pressure onto his chest. He heard a crack and smiled. "But I think it's best for you to endure as much as you put on my brother."

He put more pressure to hear another crack, and smiled more when the man below him began to scream in pain. 

Phil knelt down and grabbed the dirty blond hair that was attached to the man who hurt his son and yanked him upwards, forcing him to sit up and arch his back where the arrow was lodged in— it made the man seem to almost shriek with pain. Techno grabbed his face to force eye contact, gripping his cheeks and pinching his skin as much as he could with his sharp nails.

"We are going to fuck you up, Dream."

Techno glared death into Dream. He wanted to kill him right then and there, but he wanted torture. He wanted him to suffer. He reeled his hand back and punched him with as much effort he could. With his amount of muscle and strength— It was a strong punch. 

Techno wanted to tear his skin. He wanted to peel it back and let the air poison Dream's flesh, let it sting. 

As he hit him continuously, Techno noticed Dream's eyes wandering somewhere else. Behind Techno. He glanced behind him and saw Tubbo standing there, near the door, holding a sword and blankly staring at Dream.

Techno heard Dream chuckle. "Cmon, Tubs, you wouldn't hurt me-"

Techno turned back to Dream and slapped him as hard as he could, making him cough from the violent action.

The president had yet to say anything, but when Techno looked over to him his eyes were brimming with small tears and his face was curled into an expression of intense dislike. 

Tubbo began to walk forward, then quickened his pace and Techno knew he'd have to hold him back. He held his hand out to stop Tubbo but in his vision he saw the flash of an arrow speed past him.

It hit Dream in the eye.

He yelled in pain, the arrow lodged into his eyeball. Dream was gasping now, from the pain, and Technoblade smiled.

They hurt him for hours. Just how he did with Tommy. Techno ran a sword down his skin and stabbed in random spots—his abdomen, forearms, legs—anywhere. He smiled as the masked man screamed in pain. 

He screamed for hours.

They burned his armor, did as much physical damage they could to account for what he did to Tommy. It was never enough for them.

The sun was setting soon and they needed to get home. Dream was beaten and bloody and bruised— he had tried to fight back earlier but it was no use against the three. Techno glanced toward Phil and Tubbo, indirectly saying he wanted to go home, see Tommy.

Phil wasn't done yet, though. 

He kneeled down, leaned forward and grabbed hold of Dream's throat. "I told myself I was going to end your life, Dream. I told myself I was going to rip your throat out." 

"And I will, motherfucker."

_Snap_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Six Summary - Tubbo is told what Dream did (in the least graphic way possible) by Phil while they're walking, and when they encounter Dream's house they find Tommy's wings on either side of his door and give him a wonderful time of pain.
> 
> Chapter Seven Notes - Tommy is left alone with his thoughts until Phil and Techno come back with Tubbo.


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy thinks to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note // So I know i've been gone a bit but I lost a bit of motivation and found a way to end this story on a good note! I'll probably make a oneshot book that would include my ideas and concepts as well as yours!!

Tommy was able to stand up and walk around now—albeit slowly and with the help of a ghost—soon after dark. 

He had been guided to a guest room slightly down the hall from the kitchen, and that's where he'd been for half the day; laying in bed and thinking over everything that had happened.

He was worried for Phil and Techno. They hadn't been home since morning and it was well over midnight. He was worried even more because Dream could respawn, even if they killed him multiple times. Phil only had one life. He'd only have one chance to survive while everyone else got three. No one knew, though, how many Dream had.

Technically, Dream built the world. The continent that L'manburg, Badlands, everything— was built on. He'd named it the Dream Smp- self absorbed prick named it after himself. 

Tommy smiled. What a loser. 

He immediately took it back. What would Dream think? What would he think about Tommy insulting him? He'd burn his armor, that's what. 

Tommy needed to get out of that mindset. He needed to, if he was going to get better. He physically shook himself and winced slightly. He was still healing. He gently held his neck, letting his fingers trace over bruises and marks that were made. 

Ghostbur was asleep and that meant Tommy couldn't talk to anyone. He was alone again; alone with his thoughts. 

He sat down and closed his eyes. He needed sleep. His eye bags were worsening and even though he had the longest sleep that he'd had in days he was still so tired. Tommy opened his eyes and blinked hard, disgusted when he heard something similar to cracking, like he hadn't been blinking in a while.

After a few moments Tommy restlessly stood up and headed to the hallway. He had barely eaten all day, even with Ghostbur offering multiple apples or small snacks that Tommy could easily engulf in a few minutes. He didn't really accept them, it almost felt otherworldly to eat more than one thing a day.

God, Dream fucked him up bad.

Tommy knew that. He knew Dream fucked him up, he knew he was treated horribly. Yet, the feeling lingered. The feeling that Dream was still there for him. 

Tommy pulled himself out of that thinking before it led to worse thoughts. He entered the kitchen and explores the cabinets and shelves, finding an apple resting slightly to the left of him. He grabs it and backs away from the kitchen counters slowly, careful not to use his shoulder-blades much as they were connected slightly to what used to be his wings.

With the newfound apple in his hand, Tommy sits himself on the counter and takes a small bite out of it. The small action made his stomach growl from having little to no food in its system and Tommy slowly ate more, despite the urge to gobble it down quickly and go back to his room. 

He smiled into the apple as he bit into it, feeling at home. When he was younger he'd always sit on a tree eating any type of fruit he could find after sparring with Technoblade. As he thought back, he felt something was missing from the memory. He hummed while eating the apple and his free hand found its way to Tommy's neck, where a compass sat as a necklace.

It hit him.

Tubbo.

He was missing Tubbo from his memories. He'd always come over after sparring, sometimes during so he can watch and applaud Tommy after he fought, and they'd run off while Phil was making lunch for the twelve year olds and fifteen year old Techno, and they'd climb this one tree. And they'd climb it until they got to this one branch and they'd sit together, and joke and laugh about random things. Tommy remembered that when it was a cold day or it was raining, they'd still go out even if there was no sparring and they'd sit with the trees covering them. With Tommy's wings covering them. 

With everything that happened, he doubted Tubbo would even want to see him. There was no reason to— Tommy had long lost the belief he himself was worth anything more than dirt. He'd long lost the idea that Tubbo cared for him as much as Tommy did for him. It hurt, but Tommy learned to live with it.

Maybe it was just Dream lying to him. Dream lied to Tommy multiple times, but would he lie about Tubbo? About the rest of L'manburg not caring?

Tommy sat back and thought, finishing the apple a while ago. He stared at the wall with his hands clasped together in slight concentration, his thoughts taking over again.

He knew Fundy didn't care for him. He knew that the moment he burned the flag when Schlatt was in presidency. He knew Quackity didn't care as much as the original L'manburg did, and even then the only one who truly cared for him in the original L'manburg was Tubbo.

Tubbo and Wilbur. 

When Wilbur died, it hit Tommy like a train. Full on, no warning, no one there to say "Hey, look out!" for him. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss him, even if watching him go insane in Pogtopia hurt him more than watching him die. He wondered how Philza felt about it sometimes. 

Sometimes he wondered how different it'd be if Tommy had taken Wilbur's place that day.

It was an absurd thought, he knew, but it always lingered; especially after his exile. They would have visited Wilbur, they would have visited Tubbo every second of the day.

So why didn't they ever visit him?

He groaned in frustration. He shouldn't be thinking that at the moment, he should be wondering when Phil and Techno were coming back.

Speaking of which, Tommy turned to the door and pictured it opening. Fear struck his body as he pictured Dream walking in, holding a sword, coming for his wings again. But as the picture faded away, no one stood with the door open, no one held a sword in their hand, no one waited for Tommy to give his wings over.

A few hours passed and Tommy had gone back to his room after devouring a few more apples to quiet his hunger. His ears pricked up as he heard a door creak open and some voices start talking.

"Is he still here? Did he leave or something?" A deep, monotoned voice said, but due to the walls of the house it sounded muffled when it reached to Tommy's room. He immediately recognized it as Technoblade's voice and memories of his L'manburg blowing up flooded his head. 

"Tommy, Tommy you in there?" A softer, more adult-like voice asked, knocking on the guest room. "Hello?"

"Phil?" Tommy called out, and he heard a faint gasp from the other side. 

"Yeah, can you come out? We're back, we got one of Dream's lives down." 

Tommy widened his eyes. "Really?" He scrambled out of the bed but groaned, putting too much pressure on his back. "Be out in a second." He called out.

Did he really wanna go out? See the man that killed his brother and the man who blew up his home. First off, jackass moves. Second off, he hadn't particularly been in the right headspace when first talking to them and now it felt wrong to, considering what they'd done. They never actually visited him anyways, why would they care now?

He huffed and opened the door, meeting a blond man's eyes. Phil smiled and took a step back for Tommy to walk out of the room. 

"We, uh, took one of Dream's lives." Phil said softly. "Hopefully he'll know better than to mess with you again." Phil's eyes went somewhere else. "Oh, and we brought home a, uh, friend." 

Tommy followed the way Phil was facing and met eyes with a boy in a bloody suit. 

Tubbo.

"Wait, Tubbo?"

Tommy stayed still, looking down at the boy as he looked over Tommy, taking in the wounds that have yet to heal.

"Tommy." Tubbo said softly, tears building in his eyes. Tommy shook his head quickly, and went over to Tubbo and wrapped his arms around him.

"No, no, don't cry, I'm okay. I'm okay, Tubbo." Tommy assured with a small smile as he felt a head dig into his shoulder and he hugged tighter. 

"They— they told me that Dream hurt you— hurt you and I-" Tubbo kept slipping on his words, fighting back tears as Tommy hugged him. 

Tommy rested his head on top of Tubbo's and sighed. "It's okay now. It's okay." 

"I'm sorry I never— never visited you-"

"Hey, big man," Tommy laughed, pulling away from the hug to look at Tubbo again, who now wiped away tears. "It's okay, I'm okay."

Tubbo slowly stops crying and wraps his arms around Tommy's neck. "He's dead now, he's— Dream got what he— he deserved, I'm sorry Tommy—"

Tommy pats Tubbo's back and turns to Phil, his eyes turning downward. "I'm sorry I dragged you guys into this mess." He says softly. Tubbo shakes his head and pulls Tommy farther into a hug. 

Phil clicks his tongue. "No, Tommy, no— you didn't pull us into this. We did this ourselves, he won't hurt you again."

Tommy nods and speaks quietly. "Where is Technoblade?"

"Making us dinner." 

Tommy's eyes light up. "Dinner?" 

Phil smiles. "Yeah." Techno yells for them to come into the kitchen, and Phil shrugs. "Guess it's, uh, time to eat."

Tommy smiles gingerly. It would take time for him to fully heal from the effects that Dream put on him, but he knew as long as he stayed with these three he'd be okay. 

"So what's for dinner?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow okay,,, first fic i actually finished.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One Summary -
> 
> Tommy's stash is found by Dream and attempts to drown him before ripping off his wings and leaving him alone.
> 
> Chapter Two Notes -
> 
> Techno comes home after a failed execution, and Ghostbur wants to pay a visit to Tommy.


End file.
